


Birdies Good Day

by Roosterteethlover



Category: RWBY
Genre: But fixed it!, Fluff, I wrote it as Qrow so many times, M/M, No Beta, Qrow is called Birdie, Tickling, Vague Mentions of Past Abuse, We Die Like Men, but nothing graphic, if you read the fic you know what I mean, mentions of the parlor
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-21
Updated: 2020-10-21
Packaged: 2021-03-09 02:28:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,859
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27136636
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Roosterteethlover/pseuds/Roosterteethlover
Summary: Birdie is learning something new every day. What's the thing gonna be today?
Relationships: Marrow Amin & Qrow Branwen, Qrow Branwen/James Ironwood
Comments: 2
Kudos: 9





	Birdies Good Day

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Beware_The_Tristero](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Beware_The_Tristero/gifts).



> Hiiiiii! Today I give to you a work based on (or in) Beware_The_Tristero's fic To Heal Broken Wings! Which is in their other fic Sub Qrow's Nest! I hope you enjoy it!

It was just an ordinary day, he and Marrow were watching the television and eating something amazing, that Marrow said was called “popcorn”. It was an activity Birdie had really come to enjoy. Simply… relaxing. Being ABLE to relax in his own space, more or less. He knew this place wasn’t his. But… it was nice to pretend, wasn’t it? Regardless, they were watching some movie, when a scene came on that confused him a great deal.

The two actors on their bed, but one was touching the other in a way Birdie knew was non-sexual, and it was making the other one… laugh? Why were they laughing? He knew about a lot of different kinds of touch, most were painful, but this… was odd.

“What are they doing?” he asked his fellow faunus, who was midway to his mouth with another piece of popcorn.

“What do you mean?” he asked before looking at the screen again. “Oh! You mean what’s he doing to her? That’s called tickling.”

“Tic-ling?” he asked, his head tilting confusedly. “What’s tic-ling?”

Marrow smiled at him and paused the movie, “Not tic-ling. Tickling. So, how to explain. Um… oh! So it’s basically like this, certain parts of a person's body are more sensitive than others right?”

Birdie nodded along, “Yeah?”

“Well! Sometimes those parts are something called, “ticklish” it means when you touch those places it makes a person laugh. Like in the movie just now.” Marrow explained cheerfully. “Lots of people are ticklish! I personally am of the belief that everyone has a tickle spot.”

Birdie nodded along more, it kinda made sense. If certain touches could bring pleasure or pain, why not laughter as well? Though… it still seemed weird to him. “Is... is this a normal thing?”

Marrow nodded, “Yeah, it’s pretty normal. Usually among friends and family as a way to bond or have fun. But tickling a stranger is a big no-no.”

“Big no-no. Got it.” Birdie repeated, ingraining it in his mind so as not to forget it when he was out on his own. “So, what’s a tickle spot?”

“That! My dear friend, is the most ticklish, or only ticklish, spot on a person! Most commonly it’s the belly, or armpits, or the feet. But I know some people who’s tickle spot is on their sides, ribs, neck, even their backs or their knees! There are a lot of places that can be ticklish, or be tickle spots!”

Birdie tilted his head again, “How do you tickle?”

Marrow hummed contemplatively at that, “Well, I could tell you. Or, I could show you. But that’s your choice. Not everyone likes being tickled, plus… I know you're still getting used to the whole “causal” touch thing. So it’s fine if you don’t want to. It can be a lot of stimulation to your brain, I don’t want to overwhelm you.”

Birdie contemplated this. On one hand, he did want to know more about this whole “tickle” thing. But on the other, Marrow did say it could be overwhelming. Choices choices. At least he was being given a choice, that’s more than he ever had in the parlor. “I… I think I’d like to see it.”

“Alright. But if you want me to stop at any time, for any reason, just tell me.   
Ok?” Marrow asked, giving Birdie a serious look.

He nodded, “Ok.”

So Marrow very slowly moved his hands closer to Birdie's sides, his fingers were moving up and down as they neared. Birdie was watching them closely as they came nearer and nearer. Then it hit him. Feather light touches to his sides that sent a very… weird feeling up his body. It was nothing he’d ever felt before, and he couldn’t stop the giggles that were forced out of him by the strange sensation. His ebony wings flapping haphazardly and he pulled away from the touch.

“You ok?” Marrow asked, his face filled with concern.

Birdie blinked and thought about it for a moment. “Yeah… yeah. I’m ok. That was just… really weird? It felt… felt…”

“Tickly?” the younger faunus offered, hopefully.

Birdie nodded, “Yeah! It felt tickly! ...Do it again.”

Marrow blinked in surprise, “A-again? Uh, yeah! Sure! Ok! You wanna try a different spot this time?”

He nodded eagerly with a wide grin, he really liked the feeling. It was weird, but nice. It was something he was for sure putting in the “good stuff” bin of his mind. “Yes!”

Marrow grinned, his tail swishing behind him, “Well alright then! Let’s try… here!”

Birdie, honest to goodness, squeaked as Marrow poked his belly, then fell into giggles as Marrow kept poking. He kept the pokes gentle and light, even adding more of the up and down finger movements, and Birdie was a giggling, squeaky, mess. And he was loving it!

They kept up like this for a time, finding other ticklish spots on him. He appeared to be ticklish everywhere, his “tickle spot” they found, was his armpits. Eventually though, he found himself growing curious, so he asked Marrow a question.

“Are you ticklish?” he questioned innocently, head tilting once more.

Marrow… felt like this wasn’t gonna end super well for him.

~

When James walked into the safe house with the groceries, he wasn’t expecting to hear screaming. He quickly dropped his things (nothing broke thank god) and ran to the source. He… wasn’t expecting what he saw either. 

On the couch, was Birdie, running his wings over Marrow’s sides and stomach, making the young faunus screech with laughter.

“Well… this is happening.” he said plainly.

“Oh! Hi! Marrow was teaching me about this new thing called tickling! Apparently my wings are really good at it!” Birdie (excuse the pun) chirped happily upon seeing James.

“I can see that.” James said amusedly, “But maybe you should give him a break.”

Birdie nodded and released Marrow, who sagged forward still giggling. 

“You alright Marrow?” James chuckled.

Marrow gave him a thumbs up, “Yup! All good! Just gotta catch my breath. He is one HECK of a tickle monster.”

Birdie grinned, seemingly quite proud of his new title. James laughed a bit, “Well at least you two had fun right?”

“Yes!” Birdie cried, his wings flaring happily, “It was so fun! I don’t think I’ve ever laughed that much! Or made someone else laugh that much! It was great!”

“I can say for sure, it has been awhile since I laughed that much, or that loudly.” Marrow piped up, apparently having caught his breath.

James smiled, it was rare indeed to see Birdie so happy. He had certainly opened up since he first came here, but it was still odd for him to be this smiley and cheerful. Not bad, but odd, and it was the type of odd that James could certainly use more of.

“Well that’s good. Now, do you two wanna help me with the groceries? Or does Birdie wanna play tickle monster a bit longer?” James smiled teasingly.

Marrow shot up and ran to the door, making James laugh and Birdie smile. “Guess I really got him, huh?” the winged faunus asked, his head resting on his arm, which was draped along the back of the couch.

“Apparently.” James smiled back, “Glad you had fun while I was out though.”

Birdie grinned wide at him, “Yeah! We never had anything like that in the parlor. It was… really nice.”

James’s face softened, “Well that's what this is all about. Helping you get used to the world outside of that… place. And I’m glad you're learning what you do and don’t like. It’s important to learn what makes you happy, and to learn what doesn’t.”

Birdie’s own face softened and he looked away, “I’m happy here. I’m happy with you, and with Marrow.”

To say James was surprised would be an understatement, “I… I’m happy you’re here too.”

“Will… will I still be able to see you when my time here is done. When I have to be… on my own?” the faunus asked, fiddling with some loose thread on the couch.

James moved to sit next to Birdie and placed his hand on the others. The difference in size never ceased to amaze him, for his to be so large while Birdies were so small. “Birdie, I will always be here for you. Whether you’re here, or even in Vacuo. If you need me, I’ll be right there. Ok?”

The smaller man looked at him, a searching gaze that pierced James’s very soul. Eventually he seemed to find what he was looking for and he nodded. “Ok.”

James was about to reply to that when Marrow’s voice called to them from the kitchen. “YOU GUYS GONNA HELP OR…?”

James chuckled, “Coming Marrow! You comin with?”

Birdie nodded and stood, stretching, flaring his wings, and sighing. “Yup! Let’s go!”

Thus the pair went into the kitchen, helping Marrow put the groceries away. A few things were a bit squashy or dented, but still good and that’s what mattered. When James had reached up to put a can of soup away, he felt a poke to his underarm and he squeaked, shooting his arm down to his side. Turning he found Birdie looking at him innocently.

“Can I help you?” he asked hesitantly.

“You’re ticklish too.” was the reply he got.

James felt his face heat up and he stuttered, “N-no! I absolutely am not! You just… surprised me is all!”

Birdie shot a look to Marrow, Marrow raised an eyebrow but said nothing. “I… don’t think I believe you.” the older faunus said plainly.

James’s face heated up more, he was sure he was doing a really great impression of a tomato right now. “Well believe it! I’m not ticklish.”

Birdie grinned mischievously, “I am personally of the belief everyone has a tickle spot.”

Marrow snorted, and James shot him a glare. “Don’t you start.”

“Whaaaat?” Marrow asked, a far too smug aura about him, “I didn’t say anything!”

James only glared more, until Birdie poked his side and he snorted, his face breaking into a grin. “Hey!”

Birdie grinned, “Why be embarrassed about it? Tickling is fun! And Marrow told me it’s a good way to bond with friends and family.”

“It can be, but I. Am. Not. TickLISH!” he yelped as his hip was poked. “Birdie!”

The older faunus giggled, continuing to poke at James. “Yyyyeeeess?”

James backed up to try and escape the tickling touch, but only ended up cornering himself in the corner. “Stohop! Ok! Ok! I’m ticklish! Cut it ohout!”

Birdie did stop, still grinning. “You should laugh more. It’s cute.”

James felt his face heat up once more, “I- you-” he spluttered before shaking his head and turning around. “Just put away the dang groceries.”

He heard Birdie and Marrow laugh, but he didn’t dare face them. Though he did smile in private, he could probably bear more “surprise tickle attacks” from the ebony winged man if it meant he could hear him laugh more often. Though… he would have to get revenge for each one of those little attacks, or his name wasn’t James Ulysses Ironwood!

**Author's Note:**

> Hope you liked it! <3


End file.
